Aesop (/ˈiːsɒp/ EE-sop; Ancient Greek: Αἴσωπος, Aisōpos; c. 620 - 564 BCE) was an Ancient Greek fabulist or story teller credited with a number of fables now collectively known as Aesop's Fables. Although his existence remains uncertain and no writings by him survive, numerous tales credited to him were gathered across the centuries and in many languages in a storytelling tradition that continues to this day. Many of the tales are characterized by animals and inanimate objects that speak, solve problems, and generally have human characteristics.

Scattered details of Aesop's life can be found in ancient sources, including Aristotle, Herodotus, and Plutarch. An ancient literary work called The Aesop Romance tells an episodic, probably highly fictional version of his life, including the traditional description of him as a strikingly ugly slave (δοῦλος) who by his cleverness acquires freedom and becomes an adviser to kings and city-states. Older spellings of his name have included Esop(e) and Isope. Depictions of Aesop in popular culture over the last 2500 years have included several works of art and his appearance as a character in numerous books, films, plays, and television programs.

Bio from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Photo of statue by user:shakko (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons.

Rob Cleveland is a professional storyteller, award winning author, workshop leader, accomplished film and stage actor as well as a popular comedian. He has also been a keynote speaker for a number of state and regional conferences where he speaks about the unique role of folktales and the important role of the oral tradition in developing reading skills for young children. In addition, Rob is storyteller-in-residence at the Fernbank Museum of Natural History in Atlanta. His talent in storytelling landed him at Emory University Law School where he leads workshops for law students about how to tell a good story. Last year, he adapted, directed and appeared in a series of slave stories from High John the Conqueror for the National Black Arts Festival. Although Rob travels across the country, he lives with his family in Atlanta, Georgia.